Beechcraft A36 N121VP

Summary

On 17 October 2012 at about 13:00 local time, a Beechcraft A36 registered N121VP was involved in an accident near Wausau, Wisconsin, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 October 2012 at 13:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Wausau, Wisconsin, United States

Nearest airport

Wausau Downtown Airport (AUW)

Coordinates

44.9264, -89.6269

Aircraft

Beechcraft A36

Registration

N121VP

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Waukesha → Wausau

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN13LA016

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's decision to attempt an instrument approach in meteorological conditions below approach minimums and his failure to properly execute a missed approach.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during the instrument landing system approach, the destination airport's weather system was reporting conditions below approach minimums. However, he chose to attempt the approach and, if necessary, execute a missed approach and hold until conditions improved. He stated that he usually set the decision altitude and lowered the landing gear at the final approach fix and that he thought that he had accomplished this on the accident approach; however, he stated that he did not remember hearing the decision altitude aural warning. He added that, when he was preparing the airplane for a missed approach, he saw the hills and trees, which the airplane then impacted. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.